WEBVTT OUT HURTING YOUR FOLLICLES.>> MANY WOMEN HAVE BEEN USINGFLAT IRONS FOR DECADES.WHILE THEY PRODUCE SILKY SMOOTHHAIR, FOR A GLOSSY DO THEY MAYACTUALLY BE SEVERELY DAMAGINGTHE STRANDS OF THE HAIR.AN IRON'S HEATED TONGSSTRAIGHTEN HAIR BY BREAKING ANDTHEN REFORMING THE HYDROGENBONDS IN THE CORTEX, WHICH MAKESUP THE BULK OF THE INNER PART OFTHE HAIR FIBER.WHILE THE HEAT IS BRUISING THECORTEX, IT'S ALSO DAMAGING THESCALES THAT LINE THE HAIR SHAFT,KNOWN AS THE CUTICLE.THE SCALES BECOME RAISED ANDRAGGED, AND THAT CAN CAUSE HAIRBREAKAGE.HEAT DAMAGE ALSO CAUSES BUBBLEHAIR, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE USINGAN IRON ON DAMP STRANDS.THAT SIZZLING SOUND YOU MIGHTHEAR WHILE STRAIGHTENING MEANSTHAT THE MOISTURE WITHIN YOURSTRANDS IS BOILING.THIS FORMS BUBBLES WITHIN YOURHAIR FIBERS, DRAMATICALLYINCREASING YOUR CHANCES OFBREAKAGE.AND ONCE YOUR HAIR STARTSBREAKING, YOU END UP WITH AFRIZY, SHAGGY APPEARANCE, WHICHCOMPELS YOU TO USE THE FLAT IRONEVEN MORE.SO HOW DO YOU STOP THISSELF-PERPETUATING CYCLE?A LOT OF WOMEN THINK THATTHEY'RE AVOIDING HAIR DAMAGE IFTHEY USE A CERAMIC INSTEAD OF AMETAL FLAT IRON.WHILE THESE DO ALLOW FOR FASTERSTRAIGHTENING WITH LESS DAMAGE,THEIR BENEFITS ARE VOIDED IF YOUSET THEM ON TOO HIGH ATEMPERATURE.THE MAX TEMPERATURE SETTING IS410 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.IF YOU USE THE IRON AT 347 TO410 DEGREES FOR AS LITTLE ASFIVE MINUTES, YOU ARE DAMAGINGHAIR.SO IF YOU'RE UNABLE TO GIVE UPUSING A STRAIGHTENING IRONCOMPLETELY, FOLLOW THESE TIPS TOMINIMIZE DAMAGE.SET THE IRON ON A LOWERTEMPERATURE.THE THINNER YOUR HAIR, THE LOWERTHE TEMPERATURE SHOULD BE.BEFORE YOU IRON, MAKE SURE YOURHAIR IS COMPLETELY DRY AND THATYOU'VE APPLIED A PROTECTIVESERUM THAT CONTAINS INGREDIENTSLIKE SILICONE OR ARGAN OILDON'T APPLY IT TO YOUR ROOTS,JUST YOUR HAIR STRANDS.NEVER HOLD THE IRON OVER ASECTION OF HAIR FOR LONGER THANA FEW SECONDS.GLIDE THE TONGS THROUGH INSTEADOF PULLING WITH THEM.DON'T GO OVER THE SAME SECTIONMORE THAN A FEW TIMES.AND CONDITION, CONDITION,CONDITION.FLAT IRON USE MAKES THAT EVENMORE IMPORTANT.TOUGHER GET, -- DON'T FORGET USE, MOISTURE-RICH CONDITIONEREVERY TIME YOU SHAMPOO.